Tiger fatally mauls mate at San Diego Zoo

Monday

Dec 23, 2013 at 3:45 PM

The AP

SAN DIEGO | The San Diego Zoo says a male tiger fatally mauled a female mate.The zoo said Monday that the tigers were introduced to each other for breeding purposes. After a good start, the interaction turned violent and employees were unable to separate the two. No visitors saw the attack.The Malayan female tiger, named Tiga Tahun, died Saturday of neck injuries and breathing difficulties. She was born in 2009 at the Bronx Zoo but was owned by the Omaha Zoo.Her attacker, Connor, was born at the San Diego Zoo in 2011.The zoo says large carnivores often mix aggressive behavior with breeding interactions, sometimes resulting in injury or death.